


I caught you

by Akifall



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Childhood Memories, Childhood Sweethearts, First Kiss, M/M, Spoilers, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-10-28 12:12:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10831032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akifall/pseuds/Akifall
Summary: Before they awoke their Persona's, Akira and Goro met each other as children at a festival. After the events of the game, Akira finds Goro and realizes that destiny has always brought the two together.





	1. Chapter 1

They met for the first time under a bursting display of lights. 

The festival was packed as per normal and for children to become lost among the crowds of people wasn’t an uncommon occurrence.  
Dressed in a female yukata,Akechi chose to opt out of speaking and keep his head low as he traversed the stalls. His weekly pocket allowance covered enough for simple activities but food alone was far too pricey- he watched other children receive food from their smiling parents and felt somewhat bitter about being forced to come to the event.  
Akechi was a willowy boy and as such only the spare female yukata had fitted Akechi, and while he complained the other orphan’s jeered and laughed as he stepped out the house that day. 

At night you could barely make out the patterns of faded koi. The material sagged as he leant forward to poke the glass and watch the fish skitter beneath his fingers. He chuckled lightly as the younger kids scooped their nets into the tank and came away with either a fish or a broken paper net. 

It was at that point that a slightly younger boy stepped into view looking somewhat excited, his midnight hair ruffled by the wind and his hands sticky with candy. The boy eagerly presented the store owner with money and received three plastic nets.  
He leaned forward and Akechi watched for a moment as the boy tried desperately to scoop the fish. To his dismay the boy dropped his first net into the water to which the paper sagged and broke. The boy’s eyes watered as he tried to reach in for the next fish but still couldn’t quite reach.  
Akechi finally took pity and decided to approach the boy. 

“I can help if you want.”  
The boy looked at him alarmed and then smiled happily when he noticed the boy was around his age.  
“Which one would you like?” Akechi asked with a gentle smile pointing to the fish. The boy’s eyes widened and he quickly found his favorite fish among the lot. Akechi reached forward and to both their surprise he managed to catch the fish in one scoop, the boy gasped in excitement and Akechi smiled sheepishly as the store owner took the net and handed the younger boy his fish in a plastic bag filled with water.  
“Let’s get you a fish now, they can be friends!” The boy exclaimed holding out the final net. Akechi smiled and reached into the water to which the paper cracked on first impact and came away completely once the fish was in place.

“Nooo!” The boy whined unhappily as Akechi showed him the broken net.  
“It’s okay I kinda like the idea of them having lots of friends.” Akechi said with a gentle smile, the boys eyes widened and quickly he handed the bag back to the store owner to Akechi’s surprise.  
“He needs to be with his friends don’t separate them!” The boy instructed reaching for Akechi’s hand with his own sticky one.  
“Let’s go play some more!”  
The boy held onto Akechi’s hand like he’d known him all his life.  
And for one solid moment Akechi was important to somebody.  
-

The fireworks split open the skies with colours and patterns and Akechi and the boy raced towards the highest hills to watch it with awe. As they sat down Akechi pulled out some pre-purchased Senko hanabi and handed the boy one. 

“We’ll light them when the fireworks end okay?” Akechi said to which the boy responded with an eager nod.  
They sat together hand in hand as the fireworks seared themselves into both boys’ memories; when it had ended Akechi lit the ends of the sparklers and they both watched silently as a small pool of light appeared.

Akechi studied the boy’s face and felt a deep longing to know the boy. He then remembered his sick mother never wanting him; the mum’s and dad’s that returned him with the fake promises to keep in contact- and the way the other’s picked on him and called him a monster.  
The first light to die was Akechi’s and his face fell to darkness just as the boy looked up, eyes widened in surprise before darkness covered his face as well.

And the magic spell was broken.


	2. Chapter 2

Akechi decided he didn’t want to live for much longer.   
He’d read about it of course, students taking their lives because of peer pressure and bullying. But Akechi felt more so than that, he felt empty.   
Perhaps it was because without his Persona everything he did was pointless, without purpose.

He didn’t ask to be saved. The bullet that tore through him should have taken him to a better place- and yet life deemed that his most suitable place was this hell.   
He spent his first moments back from the dead rearranging his broken memories, warm hands had embraced him- soft and familiar and accepting.   
“I found you.” The boy had whispered, and Akechi reached for the blur of black with laughter before the figure bubbled away and he was left reaching for an empty sky.   
Rain trickled onto him as the darkness finally cleared. A downpour of water ran down his face and he couldn’t tell if it was perhaps the rain or his own tears streaking down his cheeks.   
-

It was unavoidable that they would meet again; fate had decided to deal them another hand in which of course Akira would be the one to stop him from taking the final plunge.   
Akechi hadn’t eaten for days. He didn’t eat much before actually; often skipping meals and indulging in way to much coffee. Perhaps it was because of those eyes that followed his, that gentle smile that said nothing but expressed everything.   
The clothes he wore felt heavy with rain and as he learned over the bridge he felt his jumper sag forward, as though his own garments were also encouraging him to do it.

It was late- and the bridge he had decided to pick had closed off public usage. Nobody would know if a nobody like him casually slipped over the edge and disappeared from the world again. He climbed over the edge and looked up as a sudden breeze rushed past him- there were no tears, no farewells- he reached out and spread his fingers towards the sky- the moon caught between his fingers.   
“Joker.” He mumbled before his vision blurred and he fell forward, darkness quickly consuming him.   
-

“I caught you.”   
Akechi opened his eyes as he felt his hand being tugged at.   
“Hey! Your net’s broken, I’ll show you, how to do it.” Akechi glanced up to see Akira smiling back at him warmly. Suddenly his hand was being jerked up and Akira grinned at him- Akechi glanced down to find a fish bouncing around at the bottom of a paper net.  
One moment he had been plunging to his death, when the next- he was suddenly in the very place he had always cherished- a memory that he clung to when times get too harsh.   
“It was precious to me to.” Akira mumbled and the world around them stopped as Akechi finally turned to him.   
“Where are we?” Akechi asked to which Akira simply smiled.   
“A memory.” 

The festival was lit up like that precious night, colours blurring together and stray fireworks mid-burst in the sky. Two children were about to meet for the first time- and destiny would pit them against one another as a sick joke later on.   
“I’m dead.” Akechi said simply and Akira laughed at his bluntness.   
“If this is your idea of heaven- you’ve put all religion to shame.” He chuckled.  
Akechi forced a smile, tucking a hair behind his ear before deciding that he could be blunt to a memory.   
“It is actually.” He said.   
The fireworks suddenly went off and in the distance two glowing lights lit up.   
Akechi closed his eyes and wished that the memory would go on just that bit longer.  
As the lights on the hill began to slowly fade, the world around them began to disappear.  
Akira reached for him and pressed their lips together in a firm kiss.   
“Come back to me.” He mumbled.  
And the world blurred  
-


	3. Chapter 3

“Akechi kun, I’m sorry, we know you’re busy, but you’re so popular”   
Akechi snapped his head up as the world came to him a flash, his body that had moments ago been so composed was suddenly rigid as memories suddenly ran through his mind; he grasped hold of his seat and took a desperate breath.   
“Akechi kun?” The persona user glanced at the TV presenter who looked somewhat uncomfortable at the reaction Akechi had given him. Akechi quickly regained his composure and smiled.  
“I’m sorry- I haven’t been able to sleep much of late.” He said and the TV presenter winked at him suggestively.   
“Is there someone special keeping you awake?” He teased; the audience giggled and wolf-whistled and among them Akechi found Akira staring back at him.  
“In actual fact I do have someone quite significant to me.” His eyes locked on Akira’s.   
“And because of them, I’ve decided to cease my investigation on the Phantom Thieves and retire myself from the police.”   
-  
Time was a fragile thing; the slightest difference could make the biggest changes. The moment- Akechi had left the station- Shido was calling him; the public were outraged at the loss of an idol.

It would be several weeks until it all died over- and with Shido losing his trump card- the politician quickly lost his grip on powerful allies and was unable to pull the affection of the public. Since then Akechi had binned his phone and had hidden himself away from the world. The money that Shido had provided had long since been stopped and while Akechi could now only afford basics, he found himself to be significantly happier. 

It was the day of the firework festival that Akechi decided to step out of his flat for the first time. Adorning a light Kimono (brought previously for business reasons) and haired pinned up. Fireworks split open the sky as he stepped out into the street; eyes glittering in awe as colours burst above him.

And just like before- rain began to fall quite suddenly- the first splash hit his nose and he looked down and noticed Akira staring back at him looking puzzled. The rain began to come down hard but Akechi didn’t move as everyone ran for shelter- he allowed himself to be drenched and ruined; laughter bubbling up as his hair loosened and fell to his shoulders. Akira found himself stepping out from his shelter despite his friends’ protests. 

“Your…” Akira said. Akechi smiled back as the younger boy tried to recall where they had met.  
“We met on a day like this, remember?”   
He outstretched his hand boldly to which Akira gingerly accepted it with his own   
“My name’s Akechi Goro- it’s nice to meet you again Joker.”   
-  
“This blows!” Skull groaned kicking the wall angrily. Morgana nodded in agreement with a sigh.   
“It is disappointing that this is the end. Who would have thought that the heart of mementos didn’t actually exist?”   
“Perhaps it’s for the best.” Fox concluded. Joker nodded in agreement.   
“It’s been a while since Noir’s father had a change of heart. Perhaps this is the end.”   
Skull kicked the wall again before Joker shut down the navigation and the party appeared back in the normal world.   
“This seriously sucks man.” Ryuji complained.   
Akechi chuckled as the blonde pouted and Akira smiled softly as the caramel haired boy lit up with genuine happiness.   
“Well if this concludes our final time together as the phantom thieves how bout we celebrate? I’ve been saving so why don’t I treat us all to dinner?”   
Ryuji fist-pumped the air, all previous disappointment leaving him at the promise of food.   
“Sushi!”  
“Fatty Tuna!”  
“Lobster.”  
“Yusuke they don’t sell Lobster.”  
“But… lobster…”   
-  
“Why do you think mementos suddenly ended like that?”   
Akechi and Akira were sat together in Leblanc- a cup of coffee cupped in the older boy’s hands.  
“Well a lot of things have changed since you’ve joined us.”  
Akechi looking alarmed caused to Akira chuckle before reaching forward to move a strand hair from Akechi’s face. 

“You’re so adorable I can barely stand it.”   
Akechi blushed, eyes widening as the hand moved to his cheek and Akira was turning his face to his.   
“Everything’s been going so well. The crime rate has dropped, mementos isn’t dangerous anymore- and I’m finally being allowed to go back home.”   
Akechi’s smile dropped slightly, eyes wandering astray. 

“I see…” He mumbled suddenly finding his coffee to be the most bearable thing to look at.   
“Yea… which is why- I’ve decided to stay here.”

Akechi’s head snapped up to meet Akira’s warm smile, the younger boy took a sip of his own coffee; eyes sparkling.   
“You mean-?” Akechi stuttered.   
“I want to stay with my friends, my real family… but to be honest. I think above all else I want to stay with you.” Akira said simply.   
Akechi felt a cold dread grip him.   
“You don’t consider me a friend?” He whispered. Akira’s eyes widened as tears gathered in Goro’s eyes- he quickly dropped his mug and pulled the boy into his grasp.   
“You idiot… idiot- Goro- you must know by now- your…”   
Akira pulled himself away and they stared into one another’s eyes.   
“I love you. God, Goro- I love you so much.” Akira placed his hand on Akechi’s cheek and Akechi sunk his face into it- chasing the warmth provided by a hot coffee mug.   
“I love you to Joker... Akira.” Akechi mumbled softly. Akira reached forward and pushed their heads together.   
“Is this okay?”   
Their mouths so close and yet so far.   
“It’s perfect.” Akechi replied before their lips met.   
And an entirely new set of fireworks went off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's donnnnne! 
> 
> Sorry this took so long!

**Author's Note:**

> Um not everything is going to be correct about the festivals, I've rarely been to English ones let alone any Japan ones aha


End file.
